The Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue will be looking to extend their season for one more day as they visit the reigning national champions Misamis Oriental Meteors for their wildcard match today in the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference 3 at the Arturo S. Lugod Memorial Sports and Cultural Center in Gingoog City.
The Landmasters are seeded seventh with 15 points after finishing the elimination round with an even 8-8 record. The Meteors on the other hand, wound up in fourth place with 33 points with their 10-6 record. The Meteors are armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.
Heavily favored being the host team, the Meteors blew away Mandaue, 77-55, in their lone match-up this conference.
Top performer for the Meteors was swingman Eder Saldua with 23 points and four rebounds followed by Patrick Cabahug and Philip Butel with 13 points each.
Landmaster was led by Alex Cainglet with 14 points while Jerome Cenita chipped in 10.
However, the other Mandaue players failed to contribute substantially, something that is urgently needed by Coach Tan and his team today.
Meanwhile, the third-seeded Quezon Red Oilers wasted no time in booking their ticket to the Super Leg as they dumped the visiting GenSan-MP Warriors, 86-64, in their wildcard match at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
The Red Oilers needed nothing of their twice-to-beat advantage as they raced off to an 18-7 lead and never looked back.
At the helm of the early onslaught were Roberts Labagala, Jorel Canizares and Luis Palaganas.
The hosts led 38-17 at the turn and extended that to as much as 68-37, early in the third period.
Center Erik Suguitan led all scorers with 12 points, 10 coming in the second half.
